Medicine holder



f- WQQUDQ May 1, 1962 R. B. JENKINS 3,032,186

MEDICINE HOLDER Filed July l2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.`

ROBERT xJENmNs BY f ATTORNEYS R. B. JENKINS MEDICINE HOLDER May 1, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July l2. 1960 INVENTOR: ROBERT B. JENmN ATTORNEYS 3,032,186 Patented May 1, 1962 ffice 3,032,136 MEDICINE HOLDER Robert Bain Jenkins, P.0. Box 1160, Gastonia, N.C. Filed July 12, 1960, Ser. No. 42,332 8 Claims. (Cl. 206-72) The present invention relates to an improved device for carrying various medicines and medical supplies in a convenient manner, as for example when transporting medicines of various types to patients in a hospital. More particularly, the present device may be characterized as a medicine holder of the type for carrying hypodermic syringes and a plurality of cups containing various medicines.

Conventional devices of this general character may be described as trays suitably apertured to receive cups of medicine and/or having means for receiving hypodermic syringes, Although one of these trays is comprised of a plurality of elements, the various elements are rigidly connected together to form the tray which in practical effect is a unitary article. Such a tray includes a platelike platform and a depending marginal ange on the platform, the flange serving as means to support the tray on a surface disposed beneath the tray. A hospital attendant when using one of these trays will upon occasion accidentally spill some of the medicine from one or more of the cups of medicine on the tray. Leakage of medicine from the cups and drippings from hypodermic syringes on the tray can also be expected from time to time and with the spillage contribute to an unsanitary appearance by draining directly onto the hospital floor, furnishings, bed coverings, patients, etc.

It is also important to eliminate hidden crevices and niches in a tray or medicine holder to prevent the accumulation of foreign matter on the tray in locations difficult to clean and sterilize. Crevices and niches are often formed on a tray or medicine holder by structural arrangements designed to hold cards identifying the various containers of medicine carried by the tray, wherein the card holder structures create narrow substantially confined areas which are difficult to flush out and clean with sterilizing equipment. Ordinarily, sterilizing equipment for articles of this character relies upon fluid sprays directed at various angles against surfaces to be cleaned. Where certain surface areas are blocked or confined in a number of directions by adjacent surfaces, the problem of cleaning and sterilizing the hidden crevices and niches created by such surface areas is increased because of the inability of most, if not all, of the fluid sprays induced by the sterilizing equipment to play directly upon such surface areas. The effectiveness of the uid sprays in flushing accumulated sediment from hidden crevices and niches is therefore reduced to a minimum, Any such crevices and niches are likely to create excellent areas for the breeding of harmful bacteria from the foreign matter which becomes deposited therein and which cannot be readily washed away in sterilizing the tray.

In carrying certain types of medical instruments on a hospital tray, such as syringes having hypodermic needles, sharp edges and/ or pointed ends are often disposed in such a manner that an accidental injury may result to the person handling the tray by the impaling of a linger or another part of the body on the sharp edges or pointed end of an instrument.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a medicine holder capable of accommodating a plurality of medicine containers, wherein a platform holding the medicine containers is seated in a shallow tray which acts as a receptacle or sump to collect any contents spilled, leaked, or dripped from the medicine containers, thereby preventing any unsightly drainage from the medicine holder when in use.

It is another object of this invention to provide in a medicine holder including a platform for carrying containers of medicine wherein the platform is provided with a plurality of slots adjacent each of the medicine containers for receiving cards suitable for identifying the various patients to whom respective containers of medicine are to be given, improved means for supporting both the platform and the cards received in the slots thereof which substantially eliminates any hidden crevices and niches in the medicine holder to permit more thorough cleaning and sterilization of the medicine holder.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved medicine holder in which provision has been made for storing a plurality of hypodermic syringes on a rack formed thereon, wherein one of the rack components forms a guard rail in close proximity to the needles of the syringes to substantially lessen the possibility of accidental injury to a person handling the tray from impalement of a nger or other part of the body on one of the needles.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a medicine holder constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the medicine holder illustrated in FIGURE 1, showing a hypodermic syringe in phantom lines as it appears when received on the medicine holder;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational View looking from the left-hand side of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view, partially broken away, and taken along the line 4 4 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded isometric view of the medicine holder shown in FIGURE l and FIGURE 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIGURE l, and showing a cup or container of medicine and an identifying card adjacent thereto in phantom lines as received by the medicine holder.

Referring more specifically t0 the drawings, reference numeral 10 broadly designates the improved medicine holder embodying the present invention. The medicine holder 10 comprises a tray 11 and a platform 12 received in the tray 11, the platform 12 being adapted to support various containers of medicine, such as cups C and hypodermic syringes H, as will be hereinafter described. As shown best in FIGURE 5, the tray 11 is in the form of a shallow receptacle and includes a bottom wall 13 and an upstanding marginal flange 14 extending about the periphery of the bottom wall 13.

The platform 12 comprises a pate 15 having a shape conforming to that of the tray 11 for reception therein and means to support the plate 15 within the tray 11 in spaced parallel relaionship to the bottom wall 13 of the tray 11. The supporting means for the plate 15 comprises a plurality of flange members 16 attached beneath the plate 15 and depending therefrom into engagement woth the bottom wall 13 of tray 11, as in FIGURE 6. The flange members 16 may be secured to the undersurface of the plate 15 in any suitable manner and, as shown, each flange member 16 includes an integral tab element 17 rigidly affixed to the plate 15. An upturned lip 18 forms an extension on the lower end of each of the flange members 16, it being observed that the upturned lips 18 terminate substantially short of the plate 15 in spaced relationship thereto. Together, each flange member 16 and its associated lip 18 define a V-shaped trough 20 for a purpose which will be hereinafter described.

annales The plate 15 includes a plurality of openings 21 therethrough, the openings 2l being arranged in longitudinal rows for reception of open-topped cups C (as shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 6) or other containers of medicine. It will be observed that the two uppermost rows of openings 21, as viewed in FIGURE 1, do not extend completely across the longitudinal extent of the plate 15. The remaining space on the plate 15 to the left of the two uppermost rows of openings 21 is occupied by a rack 22 for the reception of hypodermic syringes or the like.

The rack 22 comprises a plurality of angle bars 23, 24, and 25 rigidly afl'iXed to the plate 15 in spaced parallel relationship. As best shown in FIGURES 3 and 6, each of the bars 23, 24, and 25 includes a plurality of outwardly opening recesses or notches 26 cut therein. Corresponding notches 26 on the respective bars 23, 24, and 25 are alined in registration with each other to provide sets of registered notches for reception of hypo dermic syringes H, as Viewed in phantom lines in FIG- URE 2. It will be noted that one set of notches 25 on the bars 23 and 24 is suitable for supporting the barrel of a typical hypodermic syringe H thereon. The bar 25 is spaced a suflicient distance from bar 24 to allow the needle of the hypodermic syringe H to clear the bar 25 and lie between bars 24 and 25 closely adjacent to bar 25. The bar 25 serves as a guard rail to stop the movement of a portion of a persons body, such as a finger, along the plate 15 in a direction against the pointed end of the needle to prevent accidental injury. It will be apparent that the barrel of the hypodermic syrince H could be supported in a set of notches 26 on bars 24 and 25, in which case the bar 23 would serve as the guard rail for the hypodermic needle. Where a hypodermic syringe having a barrel of increased length must be supported on the rack 22, a registered set of notches 26 on all three bars 23, 24, and 25 may be required for reception of the longer barrel of such a syringe.

The present medicine holder will most often contain a plurality of containers, such as cups C and hypodermic syringes H, holding various medicines for different patients throughout a hospital. To prevent confusion and mistakes in administering the various medicines to the respective patients, it is advantageous to provide some means for identifying the particular containers of medicine. In this connection, an e'ongated slot 30 is formed in the plate 15 adjacent each one of the openings 21 and each set of notches 26 in the rack 22 supporting the hypodermic syringes H. Thus, longitudinal rows of slots 36 are positioned closely adjacent the rows of openings 21 to coincide therewith, while each set of notches 26 in the rack 22 is provided with a single slot 30 closest thereto, it being noted that the slots 30 associated with the rack 22 are located between the bars 23 and 24 in transverse relation thereto. The slots 30 are adapted to receive cards K, as shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 6, each of the cards K bearing indicia to identify the nature of the medicine in the respective container and/or the particular patient to whom this medicine is to be administered.

Referring now to FIGURES and 6, it will be noted that the supporting means for the platform 12 comprising the purality of flange members 16 and the associated lips 18 therewith depend from the plate 15 at locations bordering the rows of Slots 30. In the case of the slots 30 between the bars 23 and 24 of rack 22, it will be noted that slots Stia and 30h are in registration with supporting flange members 16a and 16b respectively beneath the plate 15, the flange members 16a and 16h being confined to the area of the slots 30a and Stib, rather than extending substantially the length of the plate as do the remaining flange members 16. The identification cards K received in the respective slots 30 extend below the plate 15 into the V-shaped troughs 20 defined by the flange members 16 and the associated lips 18, the

V-shaped troughs 2t) supporting the cards K in an upright position to make the printed legends thereon readily Visible. Accordingly, the flange members 16 and the associated upturned lips 18 which define the V-shaped troughs 20 perform the dual function of supporting the plate 15 and the cards K received in the slots 30 formed in the plate 15. The troughs 20 are shallow in depth because of the relatively short lengths of the lips 18 and are fully exposed to the flushing action of fluid sprays thereagainst during7 the cleaning of the medicine holder It) by sterilizing equipment to wash away any sediment collected in the troughs 2G.

Any spilling, leaking or dripping of contents from the plurality of medicine containers carried by the medicine holder 10, such as the cups C or the hypodermic syringes H, will be collected in the tray 11 for subsequent disposal without draining on the hospital floors, beds patients, or attendants handling the medicine holder 10. In addition, the relatively short lengths of the lips 1S associated with the flange members 16 permit sterilization equipment to fully clean the medicine holder 10 of any accumulated sediment thereon by eliminating hidden crevices and niches in which such sediment could collect to form future breeding grounds for harmful bacteria upon the failure of the sterilization equipment to fully flush out the sediment from such hidden locations.

Thus, it will be seen that I have disclosed an improved medicine holder 10 of simplified construction which may be easily cleaned and sterilized. My medicine holder I@ further promotes better sanitary conditions by collecting any medicine accidentally discharged from the containers of medicine carried by the holder 10 in the tray 11 which may be readily emptied in a suitable disposal unit. My medicine holder 10 also provides a safeguard against accidental injury from sharp objects, such as hypodermic needles by including a guard rail which prevents direct movement of a finger or the like against the needles.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

l. In a medicine holder for carrying a plurality of medical preparations, a platform, said platform comprising a unitary plate and means to support said plate, said plate having a plurality of openings therethrough for receiving containers of medicine, said plate being provided with a plurality of independent slots for receiving cards adjacent each of said openings, said supporting means comprising a plurality of flange members attached beneath said plate and depending therefrom for engagement with a surface on which said platform is placed, an upturned lip on the lower end of each of said flange members, said lips being spaced from said plate and terminating substantially short of said plate, the opposite sides of each of said flange members and its respective lip terminating in free edges, and respective flange members and lips defining shallow V-shaped troughs in registration with each of said slots in said plate for supporting cards extending through said slots.

2. A medicine holder for carrying a plurality of medical preparations comprising a tray having a bottom wall and a frame on said bottom Wall extending upwardly around the marginal edge thereof to dene a shallow receptacle, a platform received in said tray, said platform comprising a unitary plate and means to support said plate in said tray, said plate having a plurality of openings therethrough for receiving containers of medicine, said plate being provided with a plurality of independent slots for receiving cards adjacent each of said openings, said supporting means comprising a plurality of fiange members attached beneath said plate and depending therefrom into engagement with the bottom wall of said tray, an upturned lip on the lower end of each of said flange members, said lips being spaced from said plate and terminating substantially short of said plate, the opposite sides of each of said ange members and its respective lip terminating in free edges, and respective flange members and lips defining shallow V-shaped troughs in registration with each of said slots in said plate for supporting cards extending through said slots.

3. In a medicine holder for carrying hypodermic syringes, a platform, said platform comprising a plate and means to support said plate, a pair of upstanding parallel bars in spaced relationship on said plate, each of said bars having a plurality of notches formed therein, coi'- responding notches in said pair of bars in alinement to form sets of notches lying in registration and deiining a rack for receiving hypodermic syringes, said plate being provided with a plurality of spaced parallel slots for receiving cards located between said pair of spaced bars and extending transversely with respect thereto, and each of said slots being located closely adjacent a respective set of notches in said rack.

4. In a medicine holder as defined in claim 3, wherein said rack includes a third upstanding bar on said plate, said third bar being in spaced parallel relation to said pair of bars.

5. A medicine holder for carrying hypodermic syringes comprising a tray having a bottom wall and a frame on said bottom wall extending upwardly around the marginal edge thereof to define a shallow receptacle, a platform received in said tray, said platform comprising a plate and means to support said plate in said tray, a pair of upstanding parallel bars in spaced relationship on said plate, each of said bars having a plurality of notches formed therein, corresponding notches in said pair of bars being in alinement to form sets of notches lying in registration and defining a rack for receiving hypodermic syringes, said plate being provided with a plurality of spaced parallel slots for receiving cards located between said pair of spaced bars and extending transversely with respect thereto, and each of said slots being located closely adjacent a respective set of notches in said rack.

6. A medicine holder for carrying a plurality of medical preparations comprising a tray having a bottom wall and a frame on said bottom wall extending upwardly around the marginal edge thereof to define a shallow receptacle, a platform received in said tray, said platform comprising a unitary plate and means to support said plate in said tray, said plate having means thereon for receiving containers of medicine, said plate being provided with a plurality of independent card receiving slots adjacent each of said medicine container receiving means, said supporting means comprising a plurality of ange members attached beneath said plate and depending therefrom into engagement with the bottom wall of said tray, an upturned lip on the lower end of each of said fiange members, said lips being spaced from said plate and terminating substantially short of said plate, the opposite sides of each of said tiange members and its respective lip terminating in free edges, and respective flange members and lips defining shallow V- shaped troughs in registration with each of said slots in said plate for supporting cards extending through said slots.

7. In a medicine holder for carrying a plurality of medical preparations, a platform, said platform comprising a unitary plate and means to support said plate, said plate having a plurality of openings therethrough for receiving containers of medicine, a plurality of upstanding parallel bars in spaced relationship on said plate, each of said bars having a plurality of notches formed therein, corresponding notches in said plurality of bars being in alinement to form sets of notches lying in registration and defining a rack for receiving hypodermic syringes, said plate being provided with a plurality of independent card receiving slots adjacent each of said openings and each of said sets of registered notches in said rack, said supporting means comprising a plurality of flange members attached beneath said plate and depending therefrom for engagement with a surface on which said platform is placed, an upturned lip on the lower end of each of said ange members, said lips being spaced from said plate and terminating substantially short of said plate, the opposite sides of each of said flange members and its respective lip terminating in free edges, and respective ange members and lips defining shallow V-shaped troughs in registration with each of said slots in said plate for supporting cards extending through said slots.

8. A medicine holder for carrying a plurality of medical preparations comprising a tray having a bottom wall and a frame on said bottom wall extending upwardly around the marginal edge thereof to define a shallow receptacle, a platform received in said tray, said platform comprising a unitary plate and means to support said plate in said tray, said plate having a plurality of openings therethrough for receiving containers of medicine, a plurality of upstanding parallel bars in spaced relationship on said plate, each of said bars having a plurality of notches formed therein, corresponding notches in said plurality of bars being in alinement to form sets of notches lying in registration and defining a rack for receiving hypodermic syringes, said plate being provided with a plurality of independent card receiving slots adjacent each of said openings and each of said sets of registered notches in said rack, said supporting means comprising a plurality of flange members attached beneath said plate and depending therefrom into engagement with the bottom wall of said tray, an upturned lip on the lower end of each of said flange members, said lips being spaced from said plate and terminating substantially short of said plate, the opposite sides of each of said fiange members and its respective lip terminating in free edges, and respective liange members and lips defining shallow V-shaped troughs in registration with each of said slots in said plate for supporting cards extending through said slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,048,695 Hasenour July 28, 1936 2,659,485 Duley et al. Nov. l7. 1953 2,826,347 Schiavo Mar. 11, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE, 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,032,186 May l, 1962 Robert Bain Jenkins It is hereby certified that error appears in the abovemmbered petent requiring correction and that the seid Lettere Patent should reed es corrected below.

Column 5, line 17, after "bars" insert being Signed and sealed this 14th day of August 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. suman DAVID I LADD Attosting Officer Commissioner of Patente 

